Marcus Valenzuela and Reese Reynolds Malone each scored red hot victories in the Elite High School Division at Saturday's U.S. Track and Field National Indoor Championships at Ocean Breeze on Staten Island.
Valenezuela, a senior at Chatham, blasted a huge PR of 4:11.58 to take over the state lead in the boys' mile by nearly 3 seconds and move up to No. 3 in Morris County history!!! He chopped nearly 5 seconds off his previous PR of 4:16.17 that he ran at the Ocean Breeze Invit. last month.
The splits for Valenzuela were 1:03.34, 2:06.97, 3:10.17., and he closed with a 61.41, including a final 200 30.60
The only runners in Morris County indoor history to run the mile or the 1,600 converted are Collin Boler of Delbarton (4:09.15 in 2023) and Alex Pelov of Montville (4:10.64 in 2025).
The girls' high school 800 featured a great duel between Reynolds Malone and Sophia Thompson of Union Catholic.
Reynolds Malone, a senior at Rumson, led the whole way as she froze the numbers on the clock at 2:05.62, No. 5 in NJ indoor history and No. 2 in Shore Conference history! The only girl in Shore Conference history to run faster indoors than Reynolds Malone is the legendary Ajee' Wilson of Neptune (2:04.13 in 2012). Thompson, a junior at Union Catholic, was second in 2:07.08, No. 8 in NJ history!
The amout of talent and depth in the girls' 800 in the Garden State right now is just ridiculous!!! There has never been anything like this.
Check this out!
With the times by Reynolds and Thompson, we now have five of the 11 fastest 800 runners in NJ indoor history all competing this season, and three of them are juniors.
Here is the updated NJ High School Top 10 All-Time Girls 800 list
Paige Sheppard - 2:02.35 Union Catholic High School (Class of 2027) US National Championships - Ocean Breeze Feb. 28, 2026
Athing Mu 2:03.98 - Trenton TC (2020) Camel City Elite Invitational Feb. 1-2, 2019 - 5th (Final)
Ajee' Wilson 2:04.13 - Neptune HS (2012) Millrose Games Feb. 11, 2012 - 4th (Final)
Reagan Moore 2:04.80 - Oak Knoll School (2027) NJSIAA Meet of Champions Mar. 2, 2025 - 1st (Final)
Reese Reynolds Malone - 2:05.62 Rumson-Fair Haven HS (2026) US National Championships - Ocean Breeze Feb. 28, 2026
Clemmie Lilley 2:05.64 - Rumson-Fair Haven HS (2025) New Balance Nationals Indoor Mar. 13-16, 2025 - 4th (Final)
Joetta Clark Diggs 2:06.00 - Columbia HS (1980) Archived Performance Jan. 1, 1980 - 1st (Final)
Sophia Thompson 2:07.08 - Union Catholic High School (2027) US National Championships - Ocean Breeze Feb. 28, 2026
Victoria Vanriele 2:07.24 - Governor Livingston HS (2020) New Balance Nationals Indoor Mar. 8-10, 2019 - 5th (Final)
Janine Davis 2:07.60 - Queen of Peace HS (2005) National Scholastic Indoor Championship Mar. 11-13, 2005 - 2nd (Final)
Natalie Dumas 2:07.68 - Eastern Regional HS (2026) Nike Indoor Nationals Mar. 13-16, 2025 - 5th (Final)